AI Research Tools

Just like with other sources, you must cite any content you are using from an artificial intelligence generator like ChatGPT. Instructors will have different policies regarding the use of AI, so if it is allowed, you must cite the AI tool used. 

Just keep in mind if you are using AI text generators for writing help:

• If AI is being used to help outline or draft a paper (and it is o.k. with your instructor to use AI for this purpose), you will need to acknowledge at the beginning or end of the paper the role AI played in its creation.  For example, "This paper was produced with drafting support from Microsoft Co-Pilot." If AI was used extensively, you will want to explain how it was used. This can be included in the Methodology section of a more formal research paper. 

APA Guidelines for Citing Content Generated by Artificial Intelligence

• Author - Use the creator of the AI as the author (e.g. OpenAI, Google, etc.)
• Date - Include the date the content was generated.
• Title - Use the name of the AI tool (e.g. ChatGPT, Gemini, Co-Pilot, etc.)
• Version - Name the version of the AI tool as best you can (3.5, etc.)
• Description - In brackets, state that it is a large language model, or another type of generative AI.
• Location - Give the URL for the specific content if possible. Many tools now allow you to create a URL to your AI generated conversation so use this URL in this field.  

Examples

Within the text of your work (in-text citation):

When prompted with “Is the left brain right brain divide real or a metaphor?” the ChatGPT-generated text indicated that although the two brain hemispheres are somewhat specialized, “the notation that people can be characterized as ‘left-brained’ or ‘right-brained’ is considered to be an oversimplification and a popular myth” (OpenAI, 2023).

Reference list citation:

OpenAI. (2023). ChatGPT (Mar 14 version) [Large language model]. https://chat.openai.com/chat

Citing AI-Generated Images

APA has not yet (as of July 2024) released formatting information specific to images, so cite as you would any other image, using the guidelines for AI-generated content.  

Example:

OpenAI. (2023). DALL-E 2. [AI image generator]. https://openai.com/dall-e-2

The source for this information, and a place to go for more information is: https://apastyle.apa.org/blog/how-to-cite-chatgpt

Guideline: https://style.mla.org/citing-generative-ai/ 

Examples

MLA format: “Text of prompt” prompt. ChatGPT, Day Month version, OpenAI, Day Month Year, chat.openai.com.

MLA Works Cited entry: “Explain antibiotics” prompt. ChatGPT, 13 Feb. version, OpenAI, 16 Feb. 2023, chat.openai.com.

MLA in-text citation: ("Explain antibiotics")

Recommendations on how to cite AI-generated content in Chicago Style

Example

Chicago style recommends citing ChatGPT in a Chicago footnote

1. Text generated by ChatGPT, March 31, 2023, OpenAI, https://chat.openai.com.